Publications

A study of trailing-edge losses in organic Rankine cycle turbines

In this paper, vane trailing-edge losses which occur in organic rankine cycle (ORC) turbines are investigated. Experiments are performed to study the influence of dense gas effects on trailing-edge loss in supersonic flows using a novel Ludwieg tube facility for the study of dense-gas flows. The data is also used to validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) flow solver. The computational simulations are then used to determine the contributions to loss from shocks and viscous effects which occur at the vane trailing edge. The results show that dense gas effects play a vital role in the structure of the trailing-edge flow, and control the extent of shock and viscous losses

Authors:

Francisco J. Durá Galiana, Andrew P.S. Wheeler and Jonathan Ong

DOI:

10.1115/1.4033473

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An experimental and computational study of tip clearance effects on a transonic turbine stage

This paper describes an experimental and computational investigation into the influence of tip clearance on the blade tip heat load of a high-pressure (HP) turbine stage. Experiments were performed in the Oxford Rotor facility which is a 11 stage, shroudless, transonic, high pressure turbine. The experiments were conducted at an engine representative Mach number and Reynolds number. Rotating frame instrumentation was used to capture both aerodynamic and heat flux data within the rotor blade row. Two rotor blade tip clearances were tested (1.5% and 1.0% of blade span). The experiments were compared with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions made using a steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver. The experiments and computational predictions were in good agreement. The blade tip heat transfer was observed to increase with reduced tip gap in both the CFD and the experiment. The augmentation of tip heat load at smaller clearances was found to be due to the ingestion of

Authors:

Adam J. Jackson, Andrew P. S. Wheeler, Roger W. Ainsworth

Publication:

International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow

DOI:

10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2015.09.001

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Tip-Leakage Losses in Subsonic and Transonic Blade Rows

n this paper the effect of blade-exit Mach number on unshrouded turbine tip-leakage flows is investigated. Previously published experimental data of a high-pressure turbine blade are used to validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, which is then used to study the tip-leakage flow at blade-exit Mach numbers from 0.6 to 1.4. Three-dimensional (3D) calculations are performed of a flat-tip and a cavity-tip blade. Two-dimensional calculations are also performed to show the effect of various squealer-tip geometries on an idealized tip flow. The results show that as the blade-exit Mach number is increased the tip-leakage flow becomes choked. Therefore the tip-leakage flow becomes independent of the pressure difference across the tip and hence the blade loading. Thus the effect of the tip-leakage flow on overall blade loss reduces at blade-exit Mach numbers greater than 1.0. The results suggest that for transonic blade rows it should be possible to raise blade loading within the tip

Authors:

Andrew P. S. Wheeler, Theodosios Korakianitis and Shashimal Banneheke

Publication:

Journal of Turbomachinery

DOI:

10.1115/1.4006424

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The Role of Dense Gas Dynamics on Organic Rankine Cycle Turbine Performance

In this paper, we investigate the real gas flows which occur within organic Rankine cycle (ORC) turbines. A new method for the design of nozzles operating with dense gases is discussed, and applied to the case of a high pressure ratio turbine vane. A Navier-Stokes method, which uses equations of states for a variety of working fluids typical of ORC turbines, is then applied to the turbine vanes to determine the vane performance. The results suggest that the choice of working fluid has a significant influence on the turbine efficiency.

Authors:

Andrew P. S. Wheeler, Jonathan Ong

Publication:

Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power

DOI:

10.1115/1.4024963

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Experimental investigation into the impact of crossflow on the coherent unsteadiness within film coo

he current paper investigates the impact of spanwise orientated crossflow on the coherent unsteadiness within film cooling flows. Both cylindrical and shaped cooling holes, located on a blade pressure surface, are studied. The range of blowing ratios considered is 0.7-1.8 and the crossflow velocity is up to 0.8 times the bulk jet velocity. High Speed Photography and Hot Wire Anemometry are used to observe the presence of coherent unsteadiness, both immediately downstream of the hole exit and within the cooling hole tube.

Authors:

Richard J. Fawcett, Andrew P. S. Wheeler, Li He, Rupert Taylor

Publication:

International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow

DOI:

10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2013.01.001

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Effect of Cooling Injection on Transonic Tip Flows

In this paper, the effect of cooling injection on the aerodynamics of tip flows in transonic turbines is investigated. Experiments are performed using an idealized model of a transonic tip flow. Schlieren photography, probe, and surface pressure measurements are used to determine the transonic tip flow structure and to validate the computational method. Computational simulations are performed to investigate the effects of cooling injection in a transonic blade environment. The results show that cooling injection has the potential to reduce overtip leakage loss.

Authors:

Andrew P. S. Wheeler, Zainab Saleh

Publication:

Journal of Propulsion and Power

DOI:

10.2514/1.B34657

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Overtip shock wave structure and its impact on turbine blade tip heat transfer

In this paper, the transonic flow pattern and its influence on heat transfer on a high-pressure turbine blade tip are investigated using experimental and computational methods. Spatially resolved heat transfer data are obtained at conditions representative of a single-stage high-pressure turbine blade (Mexit=1.0, Reexit=1.27×106, gap=1.5% chord) using the transient infrared thermography technique within the Oxford high speed linear cascade research facility. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions are conducted using the Rolls-Royce HYDRA/PADRAM suite. The CFD solver is able to capture most of the spatial heat flux variations and gives prediction results, which compare well with the experimental data. The results show that the majority of the blade tip experiences a supersonic flow with peak Mach number reaching 1.8. Unlike other low-speed data in the open literature, the turbine blade tip heat transfer is greatly influenced by the shock wave structure inside the tip gap. Obliqu

Authors:

Q. Zhang, D. O. O’Dowd, L. He, A. P. S. Wheeler, P. M. Ligrani and B. C. Y. Cheong

Publication:

Journal of Turbomachinery

DOI:

10.1115/1.4002949

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Turbine Blade Tip Heat Transfer in Low Speed and High Speed Flows

In this paper, high and low speed tip flows are investigated for a high-pressure turbine blade. Previous experimental data are used to validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, which is then used to study the tip heat transfer in high and low speed cascades. The results show that at engine representative Mach numbers, the tip flow is predominantly transonic. Thus, compared with the low speed tip flow, the heat transfer is affected by reductions in both the heat-transfer coefficient and the recovery temperature. The high Mach numbers in the tip region (M > 1.5) lead to large local variations in recovery temperature. Significant changes in the heat-transfer coefficient are also observed. These are due to changes in the structure of the tip flow at high speed. At high speeds, the pressure side corner separation bubble reattachment occurs through supersonic acceleration, which halves the length of the bubble when the tip-gap exit Mach number is increased from 0.1 to 1.0. In addit

Authors:

Andrew P. S. Wheeler, Nick R. Atkins, Li He

Publication:

Journal of Turbomachinery

DOI:

10.1115/1.4002424

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Experimental Investigation Into Unsteady Effects on Film Cooling

The benefits of different film cooling geometries are typically assessed in terms of their time-averaged performance. It is known that the mixing between the coolant film and the main turbine passage flow is an unsteady process. The current study investigates the forms of unsteadiness that occur in engine-representative film cooling flows and how this unsteadiness affects the mixing with the mainstream flow. Cylindrical and fan-shaped cooling holes across a range of hole blowing ratios have been studied experimentally using particle image velocimetry and high speed photography. Coherent unsteadiness is found in the shear layer between the jet and the mainstream for both cylindrical and fan-shaped cooling holes. Its occurrence and sense of rotation is found to be controlled by the velocity difference between the mainstream flow and the jet, which is largely determined by the blowing ratio.

Authors:

Richard J. Fawcett, Andrew P. S. Wheeler, Li He and Rupert Taylor

Publication:

Journal of Turbomachinery

DOI:

10.1115/1.4003053

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The Effect of Leading-Edge Geometry on Wake Interactions in Compressors

The effect of leading-edge geometry on the wake/boundary-layer interaction was studied in a low-speed single-stage HP compressor. Both a 3:1 elliptic and a circular leading edge were tested on a controlled diffusion aerofoil stator blade. Experiments were undertaken on the stator suction surface; these included hotwire boundary-layer traverses, surface hotfilm measurements, and high resolution leading-edge pressure measurements. Steady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions were also performed to aid the interpretation of the results. The two leading-edge shapes gave rise to significantly different flows. For a blade with an elliptic leading edge (Blade A), the leading-edge boundary layer remained attached and laminar in the absence of wakes. The wake presence led to the formation of a thickened laminar boundary layer in which turbulent disturbances were observed to form. Measurements of the trailing-edge boundary layer indicated that the wake/leading-edge interaction for Blade

Authors:

A. P. S. Wheeler, A. Sofia and R. J. Miller

Publication:

Journal of Turbomachinery

DOI:

10.1115/1.3104617

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